Metaphor: ReFantaziois a testament to the boundless, fantastical imagination of the developers at Atlus. TheShin Megumi Tenseidevelopers managed to present a world that reflects the spirit of the critically acclaimedPersonaseries while simultaneously establishing its own identity through visually stunning locales, well-written characters, and a story for bleeding hearts and impassioned souls. A high fantasy sibling-in-law to thePersonaseries,Metaphor: ReFantazio’s very existence purports intrigue into what the nextPersonaentry could be like, especially in one area: the combat.
Though thegrand dungeons ofMetaphor: ReFantazioare a drastic department from the warped realities thePersonaprotagonists tend to find themselves, they are no less sweeping and typically full of far more enemies thanPersona. This is largely due to the overhauled combat system introduced inMetaphorthat showcases fresh overworld mechanics that have yet to be seen in thePersonaseries. The action elements seen inMetaphorpresent a good case for some evolved final version to possibly rear its head inPersona 6, per swirling speculation.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Enhances the Atlus Dungeon Crawling Experience
When faced with enemies inMetaphor: ReFantazio’s overworld, players have the opportunity to assess their situation and gain preemptive combat advantage, depending on their approach and archetype equipped (which, in turn, changes the player’s equipped weapon and attack overworld animations). Should an enemy prove weak to player strategy, a true turn-based combat sequence much more recognizable byPersonafans can begin in earnest, beginning with the player advantage.
That’s nothing to say ofMetaphor: ReFantazio’s turn-based combatwhich can be outright skipped altogether if the player is significantly stronger than the enemy with a quick bop on the head, a mechanic that comes in handy when facing hordes of opponents. Even these lite action elements ingrained intoMetaphor’s dungeon-crawling gameplay support the concept of a more action-heavy subsequent release from Atlus. With the seamless blend into the flashy turn-based combat that already presents itself as an identifier ofPersona’s staple combat system, the connections are hardly unfounded.
The crux of theturn-based JRPG combatthat is integral toPersona’s namesake has seen tweaks and enhancements withinMetaphor: ReFantazioas well, boasting new tactical and cooperative strategies within the combat’s main stage; however, in speaking on the potential for its influence to reflect on the upcomingPersona 6, it is its investment in the overworld combat that begs attention. There are, of course, various creative ways Atlus might choose to approach a similar mechanic that falls more closely in line with canonicalPersonacombat encounters, yet as much remains to be revealed should Atlus even elect to take this approach.
Aspects ofMetaphor’s combat that could be seen inPersona 6:
Ultimately, the idea is to flesh out the exchanges with hostile NPCs while holding fast to the iconic turn-based combat. Whatever form that ultimately ends up taking, it seems more likely to be a possibility nowinPersona 6’s combat systemsimply due to its introduction as a mechanic withinMetaphor: ReFantazio, and considering its seamless integration within the gameplay, to not see it implemented in a subsequent title in some capacity would raise more eyebrows than applause.
The fast pacing ofMetaphorin tandem with the increasingly quickened gameplay pacing of thePersonaseries as it expands may be an omen; the community certainly thinks so. With the “leaks” of supposedPersona 6mechanics spreading like wildfire across gaming forums andMetaphor: ReFantaziowell into its lifecycle, all eyes are on the horizon. While there has yet to be a formal reveal and Atlus has remained predominantly tight-lipped about what they’re cooking, aPersona 6reveal is largely speculated for this year, and, should Atlus continue the precedent, released in the relatively new future. Until that time, however,Metaphor: ReFantazioholds center stage and the potential premonitions of the game on plenty of fans' wishlists.
